I was born and spent my childhood in a small town in western Minnesota. The terrain was so flat that you could almost see the curvature of the earth. Since then, I’ve always lived in cities. I’ve had enough trees, grass, and open spaces for one lifetime.

My undergraduate major was economics, but I spent college mostly focused on becoming a musician. When I got there, I found that it was a surprisingly dull way to make a living. The work I do now is far more interesting. It still involves quite a bit of travel, but I get to stay in much better hotels.

I began my post-musician career as an economist working for the U.S. Department of Labor. My job was to help measure price change in telephone services, and I eventually worked on the Consumer Price Index. Doing this taught me that absolutely anything can be interesting—fascinating, even—if you’re focused on it. I came to care a great deal about the minutiae of measuring inflation, and I still watch for the announcement of the CPI each month.

I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area a few years ago because I’m convinced that it’s one of the best places in the world to live. The region is physically beautiful, has terrific weather, and is full of interesting people. My children are growing up here, and I don’t think they’ll really understand how unique this place is. Moving here from somewhere else, as I did, makes you much more appreciative.

I’m a huge fan of the American artist Robert Motherwell. I first visited an art museum when I was 14 years old, and his paintings are the only thing I remember about that day. I love his paintings and drawings, but what really speaks to me are his prints. If you’re not familiar with his work, you really should spend some time looking at it—it’s wonderful.